Only Love Can Break Your Heart
by 0x0xLOVE and WARx0x0
Summary: [You know you broke her heart. You really did.] C O M P L E T E. SEQUEL & REVISED EDITION UP!
1. Headaches and Dates

**Part 1: Sadness**

_Introduction:_

It was a normal day, for Cody at least, or it started out as one. Little did he know it was about to get worse and worse.

_Chapter 1:_

Zack and Cody entered the Tipton lobby. Zack rubbed his head, trying to make his agonizing headache go away. Cody noticed his brother was a little off but didn't say anything. Cody ran off to look for Raine and Zack sat on the step in front of the elevator. Rebecca ran over.

"Hey" she greeted him.

Zack glanced up at her and said, "Hey." Rebecca studied him for a minute.

"What's wrong? You seem a little pale." She asked him.

"Nothing." Rebecca shrugged the issue off and continued.

"Ok, well do you wanna go out tonight?" Zack figured his headache would go away by then.

"Ok."

"Great!" Rebecca ran off happily, while Zack rubbed at his head again, annoyed with his headache.

That evening, around 5-ish, Zack knocked on Rebecca's suite door. He shivered.

_The air must be on full blast, _He thought. Rebecca came out of her suite.

"Hey!"

"Hey…" Zack said, not so enthusiastically.

"Let's go!" she said cheerily.

"Ok." Rebecca chattered on, Zack didn't pay attention. He couldn't understand WHY he was so cold. Just as they approached the elevator, Zack decided to grab his jacket.

"Hey," He said turning to her, "I'll be right back…I forgot something." Rebecca nodded and he ran back into his suite. He found his jacket lying on the desk chair in his room. Zack picked it up and ran back out into the living room. Suddenly he got dizzy, he felt nauseated. The room spun as he collapsed. Zack heard Cody shout his name…and then it was black.


	2. Lost and Found Hope

_Chapter 2:_

Cody ran to his brother's side.

"Zack! Zack!" He starts to shake him, to wake him up. "ZACK!"

Rebecca ventured to Zack's suite, wondering what could be keeping him. She saw him on the floor and stopped dead still.

"Wha-what happened?" she asked, worried.

"I don't know! Go get Mom! And anybody else that can help!" Cody yelled at her. Rebecca wasted NO time. She ran downstairs and got Carey, Moseby, Maddie, and Raine. Carey was first into the suite, followed by the others. Carey knelt on Zack's other side.

"Cody stop…don't touch him!" Carey told him. Cody stopped immediately.

"Zack? Honey?" she called to him softly. There was no answer.

"Zack! Somebody call 911!" Carey told them. Raine jumped up and grabbed the nearest phone. She dialed and spoke clearly into the receiver.

"Hello? Yes my friend Zack Martin collapsed and he won't wake up. Ok…Tipton Hotel, 23rd floor. Thank you." Raine turned to everyone else.

"They're coming." She kneels beside Cody, who is staring at his brother's pale face. She hugs him while Maddie hugs a crying Rebecca.

"It's ok Zack, help's coming." Carey says to him as she strokes his forehead.

About 5 minutes later, the hospital workers come in and put Zack on a stretcher. They all walk out, following the workers. Raine holds Cody's hand.

When they got outside, Carey turned to Cody.

"I'm going to go with Zack, I want you to stay here." She instructs.

Cody looks at her with a worried face but remains together as he says, "No…I'm going with you!" Carey sighs but nods.

"Alright, you can come…all of you." So they pile into the ambulance, except for Moseby. Cody cries as he looks at his brother's face. Raine hugs him.

"He'll be ok…he'll be ok." She whispers. Rebecca cries too, and eventually so do Raine, Carey, and Maddie.

When they get there the hospital workers take Zack immediately to the Emergency Room. Carey goes with them, but everyone else stays in the waiting room. Maddie, Raine, Cody, and Rebecca sit in 4 chairs together. Cody and Raine sit next to each other, Cody cries and Raine comforts him. Rebecca cries and sometimes screams. Once a guy came over and asked if she was ok. She blushed, though her face was already red, and said she was fine.

Meanwhile in the Emergency Room, the doctors examined Zack. They told Carey he had a mild concussion from the fall, but that wasn't the worst of it. He had a virus in him and he might NEVER wake up again. They said they would try, but that was the only promise they made. Carey looked sadly at her son as they carried him to his room. They put him on oxygen because he wasn't breathing like he should and a heart rate monitor. Carey held Zack's hand as he lay there.

About an hour later the unthinkable happened. Zack stopped breathing. The doctor tried…but could do nothing. The nurse shook her head sadly as she left the room. Carey cried as she held his hand refusing to let go. And then…awkwardly at first, Zack's heart rate returned to almost normal. His eyes fluttered open.

"Mom?" he croaks.

Carey looked up at her son and cried tears of joy, "Zack! Nurse!" she called. The nurse rushed in and was stunned to see Zack awake, let alone alive. She called the doctor and tests were done. Carey held Zack's hand tight, not letting go.


	3. Visits and I Love Yous

**I do not own The Suite Life of Zack and Cody or any of it's contents.**

Hey! I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far! I'm such a ditz for forgetting the disclaimer. Anyway it's on now.

Thankies for all the great reviews!

_Chapter 3:_

Later a nurse came out to the group.

"You can come with me now." She said. The group hurried to get up and follow her. They walked down the corridors in complete silence. When they got to Zack's room, the nurse went inside. Carey came out. She looked at their eager faces.

"You can go in one at a time." She told them, "Don't be rough with him though, he's tired." The group quickly nodded their agreement. Carey turned to Cody.

"You can go first." Cody hesitated and turned to the others who nodded. Raine gave him a gentle push. He took a deep breath and opened the door.

Cody approached the bed and sat in a chair. Zack looked over at Cody, obviously glad to see him.

"Hey…" Cody said.

"Hey."

"How you doin?" Cody asked him.

Zack shrugged, "Ok…I guess, err I feel ok. Except my head hurts."

"Oh."

"Raine here?"

"Yeah…she's outside."

"I knew she'd come."

"What do you mean?"

"C'mon Cody! She's **crazy** about you! Of course she'd be here!

"I guess so…"

"Is Rebecca here too?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Anybody else?"

"Just Maddie,"

"My sweet thang's here?"

"Yeah…course."

"Yeah." There was a pause, then Zack spoke again.

"I love you Cody."

"I love you too Zack." Zack forces a small smile for his brother.

"I better let somebody else take a turn."

"Yeah."

"I'll be back later though, ok?"

"Ok."

"Bye Zack" Cody says as he gets up.

"Bye." Zack says, sad to see his brother leave so soon. But as soon as Cody leaves, Raine comes in with her pretty smile planted on her face. Zack can't help but smile back. Raine tells him how upset Cody was and babbles on about him. Zack listens amused, he knows they like each other. And then Raine leaves too and Maddie comes in. She doesn't stay long, but tells him that she'll bring him extra free candy while he's there and that she loves him. Did that ever bring a smile to his face! And then, it was Rebecca's turn.

She entered the room timidly and sat down in the chair.

"Hi."

"Hi!" Zack said, excited. There was a pause and Rebecca looked around, unsure of what to say. Zack broke the silence.

"Rebecca, I'm sorry." Rebecca snaps her head around to look at him.

"What?" she questions.

"Our date, it was ruined. I'm sorry."

"Zack! It's not your fault. These things happen."

"You sure?" He asked her nervously.

"Yes!"

"Ok…I love you." He told her.

"I love you too, Zack." Rebecca leans in to kiss him. Zack pushes her away.

"No…I don't want you getting sick." Rebecca looks hurt for a minute but nods.

"Ok. I'd better go. Bye!" She says and hugs him. Halfway to the door she turns around. "I'll take a raincheck on that, K?"

Zack laughs. "Yeah…ok." Rebecca leaves, and Carey enters.

"Hey." She says as she comes up to the bed.

"Hey, Mom!" Zack says.

"Cody and I are gunna go eat and then we'll come back, ok?"

"Ok."

"Get some rest…We'll be back in about an hour.

"Ok, Mom." Carey tucks him in and kisses him.

"Love you." She says.

"Love you too." She leaves and Zack closes his eyes, exhausted.


	4. Off Balance

_**Hey all! Once again thankies for all the reviews. If you're confused...Zack IS going out with Rebecca (if that wasn't obvious) but Cody ISN'T going out with Raine as of now. He likes her, she likes him but yeah. They aren't going out. Just so that was clear! **_

**_Here's Ch. 4:)_**

_Chapter 4:_

Things go alright for Zack for the next couple of days. Maddie, as promised, brings him candy about every day and Rebecca brings him magazines and comics. Even Moseby stops by to say that the hotel just isn't the same. But…late Friday afternoon disaster strikes again.

Cody was talking to Zack.

"…so what do you think?" he asked his brother. There was no answer.

"Zack?" Cody turns to look at his brother.

"ZACK? NURSE!" he yells, "MOM!" Carey and Zack's nurse run in.

"Cody, what happened?" Carey asks him.

"Well, I was talking to him and then…" He gestures to Zack.

"Zack?" Carey strokes his hand, "honey?" The nurse checks Zack's heart rate and pulse.

"His heart rate's off balance." She informed them. "If we can get him to wake up, we may be able to help him."

So…they attempted to wake him up. And they did, Zack woke up coughing. More tests were run and they put him on oxygen again. He was taken off the previous day. The doctor figured that was what was wrong, they had taken him off the oxygen too soon.

After that experience Cody was a mess. He couldn't get Zack's pale face out of his head and he cried at night when nightmares kept him awake.


	5. The Nature of Cody's Fear

_**Thankies for all the reviews! I finally got around to updating hehe! Here's Ch. 5:**_

_Chapter 5:_

The next day Rebecca came into visit Zack. She was worried about him.

She approached the bed and sat down. Zack was asleep so she stroked his head and talked, more to herself than him.

"It's all my fault…I should have said something! I should've never…" Rebecca didn't get to finish her sentence. Cody had just walked in and seeing his brother asleep scared him.

"Zack!" Rebecca heard him say. She glanced up in time to see Cody walk out of the room in a hurry, in tears. She got up and hurried after him. Rebecca found him sitting on the bench in the hall, she sat down next to him.

"Cody," she asked him, "what's wrong?" Cody looked up at her tearfully.

"He's gone," he whispers.

"Zzack?" she stutters, "He's asleep Cody."

"No he's not." He mutters quietly, but loud enough that Rebecca hears.

"Yes he is!" she says gently, "do I have to prove it to you?" Cody shakes his head.

"Cody…it's ok, Zack's fine" She reaches over to hug him. Cody pushes her away.

"No it's not!" He gets up and tears down the hall, bumping into Raine. Cody throws his arms around her, sobbing. Raine gives him a concerned look.

"What's wrong, Cody?" She asks him. Cody simply shakes his head and buries his face in her shoulder. Raine turns to Rebecca with a confused and concerned look. Rebecca, still sitting on the bench, shrugs sadly.

A little while later Raine goes in to visit Zack. He's awake by now. He sees the worried expression on her face and questions it.

"What's wrong?" He asks her, worried. Raine, who is looking down at her hands, shakes her head.

"Raine, you can tell me." He says reassuringly. Raine looks up at him, tears in her eyes. Zack's expression changes from worried to even more worried.

Raine sighs, "It's Cody…"

"What about him? Is he ok?"

Raine shrugs sadly, "In a physical sense, yeah. In a mental sense, I'm not sure."

Zack looks at her, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Rebecca says she came into see you earlier, while you were asleep. Cody came in, saw you, and ran out. He was crying…" She sighs, debating whether or not to say the last part and decides Zack should know this. "she-she thinks he thought you were, dead." Zack looks at her, shocked.

"Why would he think that?"

"I-We're not sure."

"Where is he now?"

"With your mom and Rebecca."

"I wanna see him."

"Yeah me too."

"No, I mean alone."

"Yeah I know. Just give him a little while to calm down."

"Was he that bad?"

Raine nods sadly, "Yeah. He was really shook up!"

"I feel bad…"

"Zack, it's not your fault!"

"Yes it is! Everybody's blaming themselves…Rebecca, now Cody! It is Raine! It is!"

Raine grabs his hand and holds it tight. She looks into his eyes firmly and seriously. "It's not!"

After Zack calms down, Raine gets up to see if Cody's ok. She tells Zack she'll be back in a few.

Carey, Cody, and Rebecca are sitting in the lobby. Cody's in the middle, sobbing. Carey has her arm around him and Rebecca is sitting on his other side, perplexed. Raine walks over and stands by Rebecca. She taps her shoulder and gives her a look that asks

"_Can I sit there?" _Rebecca nods and stands up, giving Raine her seat. Raine looks from Rebecca to Carey and asks them,

"Do you mind if I talk to Cody, alone?" Rebecca leaves immediately, but Carey hesitates. Finally, though, she leaves as well. Cody wraps his arms around Raine and sobs. She hugs him back and is silent. All that is heard are people entering and leaving, occasional ambulances whizzing by, the receptionist's keyboard clicking, and Cody sobbing.

After what feels like hours, Cody looks up at Raine, tears streaming down his face. She looks into his eyes, searching. All she finds is fear, pure fear. Cody cries and cries. The two attract stares and inquiries. Several people ask if he's ok, Raine tells them he's fine and they leave. She decides they should take a walk. Cody grips her hand tight as they roam the halls. When they pass Zack's room, Cody stops and stares at the door. His grip on Raine's hand tightens.

"You wanna go in?" she asks him gently. Cody nods his response. Raine opens the door and walks in. Cody follows. They sit down and Zack puts down the magazine he was looking at. Zack studies his brother's red and tearstreaked face. Tears fall from Cody's eyes, but he doesn't bother to wipe them away.

"Cody.." Zack says, taking his brother's hand. Cody grips it tight. Zack glances at Raine, who nods sadly. Zack looks at her and then nods to the door. Raine gets the message and leaves. Cody stares at the wall. Zack studies his face, concerned.

"Cody?" Zack asks him, a worried tone edging his voice, "What's wrong?" Cody turns to his brother, tears pouring down his face. Zack hugs his brother.

"Cody…what's wrong? C'mon tell me!" Cody doesn't answer.

"Please tell me!" Zack rubs his brother's back, "C'mon! We've never kept secrets like this! Don't start now!"

After that…Cody didn't talk. At all. Not at school, he got quite a few detentions for that; at home, which troubled his mother; nor to Zack, Raine, Maddie, or anyone else. His grades went down and he stopped doing things. Carey began to seriously worry when he stopped eating. She wasn't the only one, Raine and Rebecca worried about him too. The only really **active **thing he did was cry, and he did that at night when nightmares woke him up and no one was there to comfort him.

Eventually he changed physically too, dark circles formed under his eyes from lack of sleep and he was super thin. Carey took him to psychologist after psychologist but of course, he blocked them all out. All seemed hopeless. How can you help someone who's given up the will to live?


	6. Collapsed Again

_Chapter 6:_

As the days went by Zack got better, but Cody, unfortunately, got worse. About a week after his incident, Zack was taken off the oxygen. To everyone's relief, he was fine. Still quite weak though he couldn't get up and walk around.

Cody's depression started scaring Raine and Rebecca. They tried talking to him individually but he didn't listen. So one day they decided to speak with him together.

After class was over, Cody left immediately. Raine and Rebecca hurried after him.

"Cody!" Raine called to him. Cody quickened his pace.

"Cody…c'mon talk to us!" Rebecca said and the girls quickened their pace as well.

"Coooodddyyy!" Rebecca strained. Thud! Cody collapsed, right there in the middle of the hallway. The girls ran over.

"CODY!" Raine schreeched as she knelt down beside him, "Cody?" She patted his face, attempting to wake him up.

"Help! Somebody help him!" Rebecca called out to the now empty hallway.

Mr. Wilson, their history teacher, heard the commotion right outside his classroom and went to find out what it was.

"What's going on out here?" He asked, emerging from the room.

Rebecca gestured to Cody lying on the floor, still unconscious, "He collapsed." She says in a worried tone. Mr. Wilson quickly knelt down on Cody's other side and checked if he was breathing, he was. Standing, he turned to Rebecca.

"Go get the school nurse." He told her and Rebecca ran off. Raine continued to try to wake Cody up, now aided by Mr. Wilson.

"Cody?" She said softly, nearly crying. "Cody?"

A few minutes later, Cody slowly wakes up. He sits up and rubs his head. Raine throws her arms around him, relieved.

"Cody!" She breathes. Cody doesn't say anything as the nurse checks him out. She says he seems fine and she and Mr. Wilson leave. Cody stands up, only to get lightheaded and fall back into Raine's arms. She helps him up.

"We'll walk you home." She says as she and Rebecca support him and walk down the hall.

Upon entering the suite, Carey runs over and helps the girls help Cody to the couch. Carey makes him lie down and gets some ice for the bump she noticed on his head. Cody winces as she makes him hold it there. Only then does she turn to the girls.

"What happened?" She asks.

"He collapsed." Raine answers her.

"In the hallway, at school." Rebecca adds. Carey turns to Cody who nods slowly.

"What am I gunna do with you?" She mumbles under her breath.

Later, as Raine is coming from Rebecca's suite she hears crying coming from Cody's suite. She opens the door to find Cody crying in his sleep. Noticing Carey's not there, Raine lets herself in and sits on the edge of the couch and strokes his head comfortingly. Unexpectedly Cody shoots up, breathing hard. Raine jerks her hand away, but notices Cody's expression and softens.

"Cody…what's wrong?" She asks him. Cody, suddenly noticing Raine, shakes his head and wipes his eyes with the back of his hand.

"You can tell me.." She says gently. Cody simply ignores her.

"C'mon tell me!" She pleads. Cody ignores her again. Raine gets up and leaves, looking back only once, sadly.


	7. Fighting

_Chapter 7:_

Raine falls into her own little depressed state, absorbing herself in school and dance. Rebecca starts to feel that she's the only sane one, what with Cody's depression, Raine's slump, Carey constantly worrying over her sons, and Zack, well she supposed Zack was okay.

Rebecca missed the old Cody, the straight-A student who knew how to control himself, and the old Raine, with her pretty smile.

"_Where is that?"_ She wondered. Rebecca put her chin in her hand, bored.

"_Maddie's babysitting Cody, should ?"_ She questioned herself, "_Should I go?...I've got nothing better to do." _And with that Rebecca stood, walked to the Martin suite, and rapped on the door. Maddie answered.

"Hey Rebecca!" Maddie turned to Cody, "Hey Cody, look who's here." Cody was sitting at the table, eating. He glanced up but said nothing.

"Come on in." Maddie said as she closed the door.

"Thanks." Rebecca said, smiling. Maddie nodded, cleared her dishes, and left them somewhat alone. Rebecca sat down across the table from Cody. She watched him eat and then clear his plate and start his homework. He noticed but didn't say anything.

Rebecca sighs, "How long are you planning on keeping this up?" Cody looks up but doesn't say a word.

"Why won't you talk to me?" She asks him. Cody gives her a confused look.

"…or Maddie? Or Raine? Or your mom? Or even Zack?" Rebecca continues. Cody gives her a cold look that clearly says:

"_Leave me alone!"_ and walks off to his room.

"FINE! Don't talk to me! See if I care!" She shouts, standing. Cody slams the door. Rebecca leaves, slamming the suite door. Cody slides down the back of his door and cries.


	8. Fighting Again

_Chapter 8:_

Rebecca storms back to her suite, banging the door, **hard.** She falls onto the couch.

_"At least I'm not bored."_ She thinks, _"But…now I'm mad at Cody, the worst possible place to be!"_ Rebecca screams into a pillow, frustrated. The phone rings. She tosses the pillow aside. It hits a lamp and breaks it.

_"Aww great! Just great!"_ She thinks as she picks up the phone.

"Hello?" She says, a little angrier than she wanted to.

"Hi," Zack's voice is heard on the other end.

"Oh…hi Zack." Rebecca says flatly.

"What's up?"

"Your stupid brother!"

"Cody? Why? What happened?"

"He's mad at me…for no reason!"

"What else?"

"What do you mean 'what else?"

"What else, what else happened?"

"I don't know!" Rebecca shrieks, "I just asked him why he wouldn't talk to anyone!"

Zack sighs, "Why'd you do that?"

"'Cause I wanted to know!"

"You don't have to yell at me!"

"I can't help it!"

"You just did it again!"

"No I didn't!"

"There you just did it again!"

"I don't have to listen to this!" Rebecca bangs the phone on the receiver and screams.

"FINE!" Zack yells and hangs up too.

Meanwhile, in the Martin suite…

Maddie, who'd gone to bathroom, hears doors slamming and runs out. She notices that Rebecca left and goes to Cody's door and knocks.

"Cody! Let me in!" She says. In response, Cody locks the door.

"Cody…c'mon let me in! Please!" Cody angrily gets up and walks over to the desk, gets the chair, and props it under the doorknob.

"Cody! Please! Let's talk!" Cody sits on the bed, crying, hoping that she'll leave.

"Cody! Talk to me!" Cody looks up and snatches a piece of paper and a marker and writes: LEAVE ME ALONE! He slides it under the door. Maddie ignores it and begins pounding on the door.

"OPEN THIS DOOR!" She shouts. Cody gets up and drags the chair out of the way. He bangs open the door, which surprises Maddie causing her to step back. Cody grabs the sign and puts it on the door. He then turns around, slams the door, and puts the chair back, completely ignoring her.

**HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE:)**


	9. It's All My Fault

_Chapter 9:_

After that night's episodes it seems that just Zack and Raine are talking. Raine tries to tell Zack to talk to Rebecca and vice versa, but it doesn't work and eventually she gives up.

Cody locks himself in his room, shouting 'Go away' or 'Leave me alone' whenever someone attempts to talk to him or enter the room. His contact with the world outside his room completely stops. Zack enters a little depressed state of his own…

Raine visits Zack one day to find him crying. She knocks softly on the doorframe and Zack glances up. He wipes away his tears with the back of his hand as Raine walks in.

"Zack, what's wrong?" She asks. Zack crying is kind of a shock to her, she's never seem him like this. He turns away.

"C'mon you can trust me." Raine says softly. Zack looks at her slowly.

"This is all my fault!"

"What is?"

"Cody…and Rebecca. They're all mad at me! I didn't understand it at first, but now I do! It's **all** my fault!" Tears well in his already wet eyes.

_"He has a point..."_ Raine thinks then immediately takes it back, ashamed of herself.

"No it's not! How could you have known you were going to end up here?" Zack shrugs at her question. Raine grabs his hands.

"You couldn't have! None of us could've. Don't blame yourself!" Zack stares at her, amazed. He can't help but notice she has pretty eyes, no wonder Cody was attracted to her. Zack nods, but still he can't help but cry.

Raine embraces him in a hug. After a little while passes, Raine pulls back. Zack forces a small smile.

"Thanks." He says.

"That's what friends are for." Raine replies.

"I wish Rebecca was here…" Zack says with a sigh.

"When was the last time she was here?

"About a week ago."

"I told you to call her!" Zack shrugs.

"I better go, I have dance in an hour." Raine says, standing.

Zack nods, "Will you tell her I love her?"

Raine points to the phone, "Tell her yourself." Zack rolls his eyes. Raine's about to go out the door when Zack speaks up again.

"Raine, will you tell Cody I miss him?" Raine smiles.

"Okay."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**_Ok just to clear things up, _**

**_Raine and Cody ARE NOT dating. They never were. _**

**_Rebecca and Zack at this point ARE NOT dating. They WERE! _**

**_Anyways...lol. Thankies for all the GREAT reviews!_**

****


	10. Consolation

_Chapter 10:_

Raine walks up to the Martin's door and knocks. Carey answers wearing a tired expression.

"Hi Raine."

"Hi Ms. Martin. Can I talk to Cody?" Raine asks politely.

"He's in his room. Good luck!" Raine smiles a little and starts to go when Carey speaks.

"Hey will you stay here for a couple of minutes? I have to go see if Maddie can baby-sit tonight."

"Sure." Carey thanks her and leaves. Raine knocks softly on the bedroom door.

"Cody…can I come in?"

"NO! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Cody shouts at her.

"Cody, please! I need to talk to you!"

"Go away!"

"Cody! Please! Just talk to me!"

"CAN'T YOU READ? LEAVE ME ALONE!" There's a moment of silence between the two, then:

"Why are you doing this?" She asks him. Cody bangs open the door. His appearance startles Raine. The healthy glow is gone from his cheeks, his eyes are red, and his face tear-streaked. He planned on telling her off but he collapses on her, his arms around her neck.

"I don't know!" He sobs. Raine hugs him, not really knowing what else to do. _"I don't know…"_ Cody repeats over and over. He pulls her to the floor. Raine sits with Cody crying on her, not really certain of what to do.

After a while Cody pulls away and wipes his tears away with his sleeve.

"You ok?" She asks him.

Cody speaks quietly, not much more then a whisper, "My head hurts." Raine nods and gets up. She dampens a cloth at the sink and walks back over to Cody.

"Here," She says handing him the cloth, "try this." Cody accepts it, pressing it to his head.

"Thanks." Raine nods and takes his hand, pulling him up and over to the couch. Cody rests his head on her shoulder and she strokes it. Raine talks to him.

"Everything's ok." She murmurs. Cody doesn't answer, so she continues by telling him everything that's going on.

"Cody…" Raine turns to find him asleep, "never mind."

About a half hour later; Cody jolts upright. Raine turns to look at him…

"What's wrong?" Cody begins to cry again and Raine lays his head back on her shoulder.

"It's ok…" She murmurs, this calms Cody and shortly he is asleep again.

Carey comes in and sees Cody asleep. She smiles, happy to be finding her son peaceful. She walks over and picks him up gently. Raine follows as she carries Cody to his room. Carey tucks him into his bed and kisses him. Raine watches from the doorway. Carey comes back over to her and the two leave Cody alone to dream.


	11. The Old Woman Down the Hall

_Chapter 11:_

Soon Zack is able to get up and walk around. He enjoys this freedom to explore his surroundings.

One day, the doctor informs Zack that he won't be able to leave for at least two weeks. Zack, finding the news unbearable, gets up and roams the halls. All of a sudden he hears a voice calling him.

"Boy!" The voice says. Zack looks around for the owner and discovers it's coming from an open doorway. Zack wanders in curiously to come face-to-face with an elderly woman.

"Are you talking to me?" He asks.

"Yes…What's your name?"

"Zack. What's yours?"

"Martha." She replies with a smile. Zack sits down in a chair.

"What's wrong, Zack?" She asks, noticing the upset look on his face.

"They just told me I have to stay here for two more weeks." He says with a gloomy sigh.

"How long have you been here?" Martha inquires.

"Almost a month."

"Ah." She says nodding, "You miss your family, yes?"

Zack nods, "Yeah…my brother's hardly ever here and my mom, well it'd be nice to have her here at night."

"I miss my family too. All my children are gone and my husband died a couple years back.

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Martha says and changes the subject, "A charming boy like you must have the ladies all over you!"

Zack laughs, then frowns thinking of Rebecca, "I have a girlfriend, but she's mad at me right now."

"How come?" She asks and Zack tells her the story of their fight.

"You should talk to her." Martha tells him when he finishes.

"That's what my friend Raine said."

"She's right, you should." Zack looks doubtful but nods.

"So tell me about this brother of yours."

"He's my twin. He's a math geek." He says with a laugh then frowns again, "Or he was."

"Was?"

"Yeah…He hasen't been doing the best in school lately."

"Oh." Martha says.

"Yep. So what was your husband like?"

"Oh," She sighs leaning back on her pillows, "He was the greatest. We met at a race. Oh how I wish I could run again, but these old legs have had their wear…I'd love to go see a race again."

Zack smiles then breaks into a little coughing fit, "I'd better go. I'm not supposed to be up for very long."

"Alright." She says understandingly, "Good bye Zack."

Zack stands and walks to the door. He turns.

"Bye Martha. Hey do you think I could come back tomorrow? About the same time?"

Martha nods, "Of course. My door's always open."


	12. Forgiveness

_Chapter 12:_

Zack finally gets up the nerve to call Rebecca. He dials nervously and waits for her familiar voice to answer. It finally does.

"Hello?"

"Hi Rebecca, listen…" He begins, but Rebecca interrupts him.

"Zack! I'm so sorry! I never should've yelled at you!"

"It's ok…"

"No! It's not! You don't deserve to be treated like that!" Zack's silent, unsure of what to say.

"You forgive me?" She asks, breaking the silence.

"Of course."

"Ok."

"How's Cody doin?"

"Better, he's talking to people again…sort of."

"What do you mean?"

"Well he'll talk to Raine and your mom, and me a little bit…but that's about it."

"Oh. So…I miss you."

"I miss you too."

"I love you."

Rebecca gives a little laugh, "I love you too, Zacky."

"You remember the first time we met?" He asks, firing up a conversation.

"Of course…that was when I first came to the Tipton." Rebecca says, reminiscing.

"And you said I was hot!" They both shout and then laugh.

**_Hey guys! Thankies for all the GREAT reviews! Martha isn't in the rest of this story...but she IS in the sequel yes there's a sequel lol!_**


	13. Something's Wrong

_Chapter 13:_

Cody gradually gets better and nearly returns to normal. Rebecca and Zack get back "in-synch." Zack is doing so much better and the doctor says that if all goes well he could be out within the upcoming week.

However, Raine has a sickening feeling that things are going a little "too" well. She expresses this to Cody who tells her she's just being silly and to forget about it. She tries, but can't. It tells her something bad's about to happen.

About a week after Cody's recovery Carey decides to take the little group to an amusement park, "just for a little fun."

"OOO! Let's go on that next!" Rebecca says, pointing to a ride a little ways ahead of them. Raine and Cody agree and they head towards it. Raine and Rebecca start talking about some girl thing and don't notice Cody stop, still and unmoving.

"G-guys?" He stammers. The two girls don't notice and continue walking.

"G-guys!" He repeats. His head suddenly aches and he holds it. His legs give way and he feels his body hit the rock hard asphalt.

Raine turns to where Cody was walking, "Right, Cody?" She asks the air, "Cody?" She looks around.

Rebecca turns to look also, "Cody?" Raine's the one who notices Cody lying on the ground.

"CODY!" She shrieks and the two rush over, just as Cody comes to. They help him over to a nearby bench and sit on either side.

"Cody, what happened?" Rebecca asks. Cody's staring out at the park, trying to gather his jumbled thoughts.

"S-something's wrong with Zack." He finally says, his voice shaking.

"What?" Rebecca asks, worried.

"I-I don't know." He says snapping out of his gaze and turning to look at her.

"How do you know this?" Raine asks and he snaps his head around to look at her, making himself dizzy. He grips the edge of the bench to steady himself.

"Feeling…"

"What kind of feeling?" Rebecca asks. Cody doesn't bother to look over again, he speaks directly to Raine.

"Telepathic."

"But…I thought, you guys didn't do twin telepathy?" Raine says giving him a strange look.

"We don't…not usually." They give him even more confused looks, "Only when we're in REAL trouble." Rebecca looks at him with tear filled eyes.

"Let's go find your mom." Raine tells them and helps Cody up. He gets light-headed and dizzy though and needs to sit back down on the bench again.

"Call Carey…" She tells Rebecca who whips out her cell phone and quickly makes the call.

5 minutes later they see her running across the walkway.

"Cody, what happened?" Carey asks, crouching down in front of them and checking him over. He winces as she touches his head.

"Owww." He complains. She turns away from him to the girls.

"What happened?"

"Cody thinks something's wrong with Zack." Raine tells her.

"What!" She asks turning back to Cody. Cody nods his aching head slowly.

"I dunno what….he's hurt or something. I just know it's bad and…it's hurting him." He begins to cry, of the pain in his head and the fear in his heart. "Something's wrong Mom!" Carey pulls him into her arms.

"Let's go home." She says, standing and helping Cody up. The group walks slowly to the car.

When they arrive Maddie sees them and rushes over.

"Did you guys…" She begins, but sees their worried faces and frowns, "What's going on?"

"Cody had…a, a little scare." Carey informs her.

"What happened?" Maddie asks, now just as worried as they are.

"We're not sure…" Raine says with a bite of her lip.

Maddie nods, "Oh." They walk past her and into the elevator. They enter the suite and Rebecca and Raine help Cody to the couch. Carey checks the answering machine. The first message hits them harder than words alone can describe.


	14. Phone Messages and Nightmares

_Chapter 14:_

"Ms. Martin, we are incredibly sorry to tell you this…especially over the telephone. Your son has slipped into a coma this afternoon. We are doing everything we can for Zack…." They didn't need to hear the rest of the message. Those three sentences were enough to break anyone's heart. Carey dropped into a chair, her face horror stricken. Rebecca's worried face bursts into tears and Raine just sat, in disbelief. Tears flow down Cody's face as he pulls his legs up on the couch and wraps his arms around his knees. He buries his face in them. Carey gets up and sits between Raine and Cody, pulling Cody against her. She kisses the top of his head and holds him as tight as possible.

Eventually, Carey goes to be with Zack…leaving an already traumatized Cody with Rebecca and Raine under the watchful eye of Maddie.

Sobs shake Cody's whole body as he watches his mother leave and Maddie enter, crying tears of her own. She walks over to the couch and sits down beside Rebecca, embracing her in a hug. Rebecca hugs her back while Raine hugs Cody.

They try to talk to each other, but speaking about it makes them even more depressed. Maddie makes them dinner, but they're too worried to eat it. They try to watch a movie, but they don't pay attention. Carey called once to say that she'd be home late, but said nothing about Zack or his condition which made them even more anxious.

The group fell asleep soon- Cody on the couch, Raine and Rebecca on the floor, and Maddie in the chair. Raine hasn't even drifted into dreamland before she's awakened by Cody sobbing.

She stands and walks over to the couch.

"Cody?" She says, softly so as not to wake the others.

"Raine?" He turns his head slowly to look at her shadowy figure, standing in the dark.

"What's wrong?" She asks, sitting down beside him. Cody cries harder and Raine hugs him. He calms enough to break their hug, but Raine leaves her arm around him and he rests his head on her shoulder. He sobs softly still.

"He died…" Raine gives him an utterly concerned look, then realizes he can't see her face.

"What?"

"In my dream….Zack…died." He says with a gulp and tears escape, though he's attempting to hold them back.

Raine hesitates before asking, "You…you wanna tell me about it?" Cody gives a long, slow sigh and then begins to talk,

"We…we were…we were just playin around….and then he fell down….and I…I couldn't wake him up…and he died…" He starts sobbing again and Raine holds him. "I don't know what I'd do without him, Raine! He's my twin! We've been through everything together! What if he really does die?"

"He won't…" She reassures him.

"How do you know!" He says, louder, "I dunno what I'll do if he's gone! He can't die, Raine! He can't!" Raine is silent. She doesn't know what to do or say, because everything Cody says…is true.


	15. Delusions? Maybe

_Chapter 15:_

To everyone's dismay Zack gets worse as the days pass. Carey's constantly at the hospital, worrying. Rebecca's tears continuously fall, even when she calms herself somehow, someway, she gets started again. Cody's nightmares keep him awake all night, making it hard for him to concentrate on much of anything and he falls asleep in class. And just when he's almost to the point where he can control himself…something happens that changes everything.

Cody sits in the chair by Zack's bed. Tears pour down his face. Zack half opens his eyes and turns to look at his brother.

"Cody…" He says, his voice barely heard, it's so weak, but Cody hears him and jerks his head up in time to see Zack close his eyes again.

"Zack? Zack!" He says, his voice growing more alarmed by the minute, "Mom!"

Carey runs in to see Cody leaning over the bed, crying so hard he can hardly breathe. She quickly walks over and sits on the edge of the bed.

"What's going on, Cody?" She asks, struggling to remain calm herself.

"Zack…he…and…" He gasps for breath. Carey pulls him to her and lays his head on her shoulder.

"Calm down….it's ok." Cody looks over at Zack, his head still turned. His brother's voice hammers in his head,

_"Cody…Cody…Cody…"_ until it's lodged there. Carey decides they've been there long enough for one day and stands, gesturing for Cody to come with her.

"No."

"C'mon, honey, let's go."

"No." Carey takes his hand in hers and gently forces him to stand.

"No!" Carey half-drags him out of the room.

"NO! ZACK!" He shrieks, sobbing. Carey continues to 'drag' Cody down the hall and to the car, with him crying the whole way.

Rebecca goes into Zack's room a few days later. She sits in the exact chair Cody sat in…and talks.

She sighs, "If only you knew…how much everyone misses you…especially me." She looks around at all the 'Get Well Soon' balloons, cards, and flowers displayed about the room. "I hope you do that…Get well soon, Zack." She says and sits back, closing her eyes as tears trickle slowly down her cheeks.

Zack stands, listening intently to what she's saying. He can't understand a word though, it's just mumbling to him.

"REBECCA!" He shouts, she doesn't answer though.

"Come." A gentle, yet bone-chilling, Voice echoes through the dark, brick tunnel. Zack turns towards the exit, squinting at the bright light shining there.

"No!" He says, backing up slowly.

"Come, Zack." The Voice says.

"No! I can't! They…they need me! All of them! Cody and Rebecca…and Mom!" He shouts.

"Come with me, Zack. Come to Paradise." Zack backs up against a now-sealed exit.

"No!" The Voice comes closer and Zack's blue eyes dart from left to right, looking for a place to run

"Come." Zack screams as the Voice lays It's hand on his shoulder.

"Come with me, Zack."

"I can't! I can't leave them!"

"Come with me.."

"I can't!" He shouts, shielding his eyes with his arm. The light's too bright and he can feel the life draining out of him. "I can't!"

Tears fall as the Voice speaks again, "Alright…" The Voice completely vanishes, without a trace. Zack's face reads alarm as he looks around, but a second later he's opening his eyes looking at Rebecca.

**_Hope everyone understood who the Voice was!_**

**_Thankies for all the reviews!_**

**_Fig_**


	16. Wake Up Call

_Chapter 16:_

"Rebecca?" The question comes from his mouth slow, slurred, and raspy. Pain shoots threw Zack's burning head and shivers shake his body. Rebecca's eyes fly open.

"Zack!" She shrieks, and then she can't talk at all…overwhelmed with excitement. When she finally finds her voice,

"Carey! Nurse!" She shouts as loud as she can. They both run in. Carey runs over to her son and pulls him to her, crying. She's hurting him but he doesn't have the heart to tell her. The nurse quickly checks Zack over and then calls the doctor in to do a more proper examination. He, the doctor, tells them that the coma has weakened him dangerously and that the virus has multiplied immensely. Zack could be in the hospital for over two more months, but they're all glad that he's alive at all.

Carey calls Cody and he, Raine, and Maddie are there within the next 5 minutes. Cody, of course, is the first one in. He runs to his mother and brother, hugging Carey and crying. Zack tries to smile or talk…but can't, he's too weak. Raine and Maddie sit on the edge of the bed, smiling.

After a brief pause, Cody turns to his twin brother,

"Zack…" He sighs while finding his brother's shaking hand and holds it.

Rebecca lets her head fall to Raine's shoulder, smiling and crying at the same time.

****

**_Sorry it's so short! On to part 2! YAY! Please review:)_**


	17. Thinking Things Through

**_Ok this is a really really long chapter lol! I didn't realize it was so long. Anyways since the Introduction stinks here's what has basically happened since Part 1:_**

_As stated here:_

"How long have you been here?" Martha inquires.

"Almost a month."

_Zack was in the hospital for one month before he slipped into a coma. That would have been April. _

_Now it is the beginning of May and Zack has been home from the hospitalfor two weeks, as is mentioned in this chapter. _

**Part 2: Love**

_Introduction:_

Zack is finally able to go home, after being hospitalized for about two months. Cody is overjoyed at this, but soon realizes his brother isn't the same…at all.

_Chapter 17:_

"AHHHHHHHH!" Zack wakes up screaming. Sweat beads his forehead as he stares around the dark room. Someone taps him and he screams in terror again.

"Zack!" Zack turns to his left where Cody is standing there. Concern is clearly planted all over his face.

"What's up?" He asks, sitting down beside Zack on the bed.

"It…it came again…" His voice shakes when he finally speaks. An instant frown creases Cody's face. Not the dream again. No, rephrase that. Not the nightmare again. It had haunted Zack ever since his release from the hospital just two weeks before. Actually, when he thought about it, it'd haunted his brother before his release.

Zack buries his head in the covers.

"You, you want me to get Mom?" Cody asks, yet he knows the answer before the first word's out of his mouth.

"No!" Zack snaps at him. Cody isn't surprised. He expected this.

They sit that way, not uttering a sound, until Zack falls back asleep and Cody creeps to his own bed.

The following morning the twins wake up to the scent of French toast wafting out from the kitchen. They crawl lazily out of bed. Zack's feet feel like lead as he drags himself to the table. Cody digs right in, but Zack picks at his a lot and only eats a little.

"So…how'd you guys sleep?" Carey asks suspiciously.

"Well Zack.." Cody begins when Zack elbows him sharply in the ribs, "and I slept fine, Mom." He hated lying. The words felt like acid as they seeped from his mouth. Zack nods quickly in agreement. Puzzlement and suspicion would describe Carey's expression.

As the two walk to Rebecca's suite after breakfast, Cody questions his brother on his strange behavior.

"Why don't you wanna tell Mom about this?"

"She has enough to worry about…she doesn't have to worry about me anymore." Cody doesn't fully understand, but he does understand that something's on his brother's mind and he doesn't want to upset him any more. They don't speak again until they're at Rebecca's.

She was already outside waiting for them.

"What took so long?" She asks indignantly. Zack looks uneasy. He hadn't been as fast or agile as he had before…well before two months ago. Rebecca quickly rewords her sentence:

"I mean…hi guys!"

"Hi Rebecca" Cody greets her. Zack's silent. They head towards the elevator. Rebecca starts up a conversation about homework or something with Zack murmuring "Uh-huh." Or "Yeah" every so often. Cody doesn't pay attention. He's too engrossed in his own thoughts.

"_Why won't he tell anyone? It's not like it's anything to be ashamed of. Well, maybe it is. I dunno. Mom would understand, though. Or…maybe she wouldn't. Maybe he's afraid she'll throw him into therapy. She did that with me already. Should **I** tell her? Nah. He'd kill me…if, if he could. Maybe.."_ **_(A/N: These are Cody's thoughts)_**

"Cody! Watch where you're going!" Rebecca's shout snaps him to attention.

"Whoa!" He realizes he was about to collide with the wall. He whirls around. Rebecca and Zack stand behind him. Rebecca has a smirk on her face, but Zack's face looks unemotional. They continue to the elevator, Rebecca laughing about Cody's collision with the wall.

By the time they arrive at Raine's apartment building, Zack's coughing severely. Cody pats his back and Rebecca watches.

"Creeeeaaakk." The steel door to the building opens. Raine steps out and quickly takes in the scene in front of her.

"Hey Raine." Rebecca says, trying to sound as casual as possible. Raine gives a small wave and then digs her hand into her pocket. Zack couldn't possibly walk the 5 more blocks to school like this. Their only option was a cab. When she was sure she had enough cash, she hailed one. They climb in: Rebecca, Zack, Cody, and Raine.

Half-way to the school, Zack's coughing fit subsides. He lays his head back and closes his eyes. Coughing fits wear him out, a lot. He didn't feel right and he knew what was coming. He made it as far as the school yard.

"You ok?" Cody asks his brother.

Zack turns and opens his mouth to tell Cody he's fine, but throws up all over his shoes instead.

"I'll take that as a 'no.'" He says feeling a little nauseated himself, "I'll take him home." He volunteers, noticing the way Zack's holding his head and the sick, pale look on his face. The girls nod quickly as Cody leads Zack away.

Raine and Rebecca glance at each other, both thinking: _"Not again."_ The same thing had happened twice, in the two weeks Zack had been home.

Meanwhile…

Cody walks Zack back to the Tipton. When they arrive Carey's in the shower. Cody informs her on what happened. She says she'll be out in a minute.

When she does, Cody's changed his shoes and is sitting in a chair, while Zack lays on the couch giving off small moans of pain. Carey checks him out before giving Cody a lift back to school.

And even though Cody's seen his brother like this one million times before, it eats him up inside. He doesn't show it though during the slow ride that seems to take forever.

**_Review Please! And mucho thankies for people who did:)_**


	18. How Come?

_Chapter 18:_

"Cody, you've gotta eat something." Raine shoves her tray across the table towards him.

Rebecca nods, "Yeah Cody."

Cody accepts part of the tray and eats a couple bites of Raine's applesauce, but then just stirs it around with his spoon. Raine takes back her tray with a frustrated sigh.

"Is this about Zack" She asks, already knowing that it is. Cody shrugs and looks down at the table.

"I don't wanna talk about it." He mumbles, already feeling the hot tears at the back of his eyes. Raine looks to Rebecca who bites her lip.

"Cody…" She begins, "Zack's fine. This happened before, remember?" Cody looks up at her with moist eyes.

"If he's so 'fine' then how come he's home? And not here with us?" His voice quavers as he snaps at her, "How come he's sick…again? How come he won't talk to me, or Mom, or you, or you? How come this has happened three times in two weeks? How come…how come he's not Zack anymore?" He shouts and stands, slamming his chair into the table. He runs from the cafeteria in tears. Raine jumps up, intending to follow him, but Rebecca pulls her down into her chair.

"Let him go," She tells her, "Let him go."


	19. Everything's Wrong

_Chapter 19:_

After school that day Cody races home. He clamors through the lobby and into the elevator, which to him seems to go slower than usual. It finally reaches his floor and he runs out and into the Martin suite, skidding to a stop.

"Wh…where's Zack?" He asks, noticing his brother isn't in the living room or the kitchen. Carey rises from her position on the couch.

"He's sleeping." Cody makes to go to their room, but Carey grabs his arm and pulls him back. "Stay out here. I finally got him to go to sleep."

"No! I have to see him now." He protests, yanking his arm free.

"You can see him later."

"No…I have to see him now…RIGHT now!" Tears stream down his face. Carey looks at him thoughtfully.

"What's going on, honey?"

"I HAVE TO SEE HIM NOW, RIGHT NOW!" He shouts at her.

"Shhhh…" She shushes him, "Let's talk outside." She heads towards the door, but Cody stays rooted to the spot.

"Now…Right now. I have to see him! Right now!" Carey turns and walks over to him.

"What's wrong, Cody?" She asks.

"EVERYTHING!" He shouts. She hugs him and he slaps her away. He runs from her arms to the couch and sobs deeply into a pillow.

**_Sorry it's so short...most of the chapters are. :(_**


	20. Sick Tears

**_Sorry it took so long to update...well seemed like a long time to me. Dunno bout you guys. Fig was at March for Life killing her feet. Anyways here's Ch. 20:_**

_Chapter 20:_

Zack wakes that evening. The sun is just about to set and it brings in a warm, pink glow from the window. His head throbs as he squints at it. He stands dizzy and nauseous. With effort, he is able to walk out into the kitchen where Maddie is fixing them dinner.

"Hey sweet…" He didn't even get to 'thang,' before he threw up all over the clean, kitchen tile. Maddie whirls around.

"Oh yuck." She says and helps Zack walk over to a chair before cleaning up the mess. His head spins as pain takes over in it again. Maddie sighs as she gets him a glass of water. He drinks it.

"Feel any better?" She asks. Zack shakes his dizzy, pain-filled head. Maddie walks over to the couch and gently shakes Cody awake, he'd fallen asleep. He blinks twice to wake himself up.

"What?" He asks sleepily.

"Can you help me get dinner ready?" She asks. He gets up slowly. Zack flashes him a weary smile and Cody returns it.

Zack moves to the couch and lies down upon it. The cool fabric is only slightly warm from Cody's body and it feels great to his warm, feverish body. He rolls over slowly, so that he's facing the back. He traces the delicate designs. He listens to the clanking of dishes coming from the kitchen and Maddie and Cody's hushed voices. His mind wanders back over the previous two months; from the day he went into the hospital to the day he came home, to now. Salty tears fall onto his moving hand as his eyes slowly droop and close, and he drifts to sleep.

* * *

"Zack? Zack?" Zack slowly opens his eyes to find Carey sitting on the edge of the couch gently stroking his head.

"Feel better?" She asks him. Zack closes his eyes and moans. She gives him a small reassuring smile and helps him walk to the twins' bedroom and get into bed.

"I love you, Zack. 'Night." She says as she closes the door so that only a small crack of light shines in.

Zack lays in bed miserable. The pain in his head is fierce and his stomach is in hard, twisted knots. He rolls over and buries his face in the pillow, sobbing. Cody sits up in bed.

"Zack?" He whispers. Zack's crying is only slightly muffled by the pillow. He maneuvers his way across the room and sits beside his brother.

"Zack?" He repeats, touching his brother's shoulder. Zack sits up to face his brother.

"What'd I do, Cody?" He asks as tears pour down his cheeks, "What'd I do to deserve this?"

"Nothing…You didn't do anything."

"Yes I did! I must've!" He falls forward slightly, Cody steadies him.

"You didn't do anything…"

"Yes I did…to deserve this…" He sobs, Cody holds his brother and keeps on repeating, _"No you didn't…no you didn't…."_

**_Review Pwease!_**

**_Fig_**


	21. Upset Expressions

_Chapter 21:_

Rebecca sits in her suite the next morning. Her foot taps impatiently. _"Where are they?"_ She thinks, _"We're gunna be late!"_ She gets up and stomps down the hall to the Martin suite. She bangs hard on the door.

Sounds of someone walking towards the door and then Cody's there, looking solemn faced.

"What's going on over here? We're gunna be late! Raine called me three…" She stops short, having noticed the look on Cody's face.

"What's going on?" She asks nervously, leaning around him to see into the suite.

"It's Zack."

"Is he ok?" She asks, horrified. He doesn't answer her. Instead he simply turns and walks to their room. Rebecca follows.

Carey sits on Zack's bed beside him, stroking his head. You can clearly hear Zack sobbing.

"Zack, honey, c'mon. It's ok." She says soothingly. But Zack just sobs harder. Rebecca and Cody stand in the doorway, both knowing they need to leave…but neither moving a muscle.

"You guys should get to school. You're late enough as it is." Carey tells them after an awkward pause.

"But…" Cody starts to protest.

"He'll be fine, Cody. Just go." They hesitate, but reluctantly leave.

They walk slowly to Raine's building, since there's no point in going any faster. Raine hops to her feet as soon as she sees them coming. Unlike Rebecca, though, she notices their upset expressions at once.

"What's wrong?" She asks, completely ignoring the fact that they're already thirty minutes late. Cody shakes his head and Rebecca wipes away a stray tear. It doesn't take words to tell Raine something's up with Zack. She takes her friends' hands and they walk, not stopping at school or anywhere else. They walk until their feet can't walk another step.


	22. Going Back

_Chapter 22:_

As the next couple of days slowly pass Zack gets only worse. This troubles Carey and worries Cody, but they keep it concealed inside. They don't want to upset him any more. Instead they continue on with their ordinary schedules as if nothing were wrong.

Carey called Maddie to baby-sit the boys on Thursday evening. She accepted and arrived at 6.

Carey gave her the basic instructions and left them alone in the suite. Maddie walks past Cody sitting on the couch and though he looks perfectly normal and content, she can see the hurt in his eyes. She opens the door to their room and the light coming from the living room floods in. The small room was cramped and messy. There was a strong scent of sick people as well. Zack lay on his bed, in the midst of it all. She stepped over the mess and crouched down so they were at eye level. Zack opens his eyes painfully.

"Maddie?" He asks her. His vision is blurred and he saw two of her. He blinked in an attempt to bring everything into focus. She reached up and patted his hand in sympathy. He glanced down at it and then looked up at her. The pain he was feeling evident in his eyes.

"Hey…you feel any better?" He shook his head slightly. He didn't feel like talking. "Okay." She says, disappointed. She'd been hoping he would've, "I'm gunna go start dinner. Holler if you need anything." And she was gone from the room.

No sooner had she left the room when nausea engulfed Zack. He leaned over and began to throw up into the bucket that had been placed by his bed. He called Maddie's name, but she didn't come in. He sat up and opened his mouth to call her again but instead threw up all over his bare knees. He clutched his aching head to keep from collapsing on the floor. Hot tears fell down his flushed face. He swallowed eleven times before he could scream Maddie's name through choked sobs. She was there within three seconds, Cody right behind her.

"Oh gosh…" He hears her mutter under her breath. She sits down and begins to rub his back in comfort.

"Cody, water please." She tells him. He runs out. Cody comes back a few minutes later with a glass of cold water. Zack drank it only to throw it back up. Maddie looked up at Cody and then back to Zack. Zack could feel her steady gaze on him but he couldn't lift his head to look back at her.

"Cody…do you know if your mom took her cell phone with her?" Cody nods. "Go call her, please." He was out of the room in a flash.

* * *

Carey arrived on the scene shortly. She knelt in front of Zack and gently rubbed his shoulder.

"Zack, we need to take you to the hospital."

"No." He managed to moan and sobbed harder. Cody stared at his mother, on the verge of tears himself. Maddie just sat in pure disbelief and concern. Carey squeezed his shoulder sympathetically and then left the room.

Zack's nausea soon subsided and he could feel his eyes drooping. _"No…I can't fall asleep…No…I have to stay awake." _But he could feel himself nodding off. He was aware of Maddie's arms around him and then he fell asleep, completely worn out.

* * *

Zack was awakened a little while later by the sound of people conversing. He opened his eyes slowly to find his mother and Cody talking. Carey stopped talking abruptly when she noticed he was awake and Cody turned back to his homework.

"Hey.." She says softly.

"Where are we?" He asks her hoping he's wrong.

"At the hospital…we have to wait here." She replies, brushing the hair out of his eyes.

"No." He says meekly, shaking his head. Carey tightens her grip around him and kisses the top of his head as they wait.

Ten minutes later a nurse comes out for a half-asleep Zack. She tells Carey to stay there and that they'll call her back when they're ready for her. Carey nods as the nurse pushes the wheelchair away.

Only then does Cody look up, with tear-filled eyes. He jumps from his chair, scattering books and papers all over the floor, and runs. Carey runs after him.

"Cody!" He hears her shout. And then someone's holding him. It's Maddie. He struggles to break away from her grasp.

"Let me go!" He screams at her. She doesn't give in. He kicks at her legs and bites her arms. He doesn't notice Raine and Rebecca standing off to the side, crying.

"ZACK!" He screams now.

* * *

"Cody…?" Zack whispers, two halls away. He turns to see the nurse, with her stark white uniform and thin-lipped expression. He leans around her.

"Cody?" He repeats, though louder and fully spoken, but the nurse turns around a corner and Cody's voice fades away.

* * *

Maddie's grip loosens around Cody and he takes advantage of this. He rips her hands away and tears down the hall.

"Hey, kid! No running!" A nurse shouts at him. He ignores her.

He reaches Zack's room moments later. He throws himself against his brother, sobbing. Zack's head reels from his brother's weight, but he hugs him back and doesn't push away until he feels a familiar wave of nausea.

Cody begins to cough then, not nearly as awful as Zack but enough to leave his throat burning and cause the nurse to stare.

"Do you feel alright?" She asks.

"I'm f-fine." He stammers as the fit passes. The truth, though, was that he'd been coughing for about a week. And it'd been tough. His coughing had gotten worse throughout the week. He knew he should've told someone, but he hadn't. He was scared to.

Carey runs in just then and spins Cody around.

"Don't you ever do that again!" She yells at him. His face crumples up in tears. She hugs him close.

"I'm sorry." She tells the nurse and steers Cody out of the room while giving Zack a small wave.

* * *

Outside, in the hall, Carey holds Cody while he cries into her shirt.

"He'll be ok….We'll all be ok." She whispers into his ear. A couple of minutes later they head back to the waiting area. Barely two feet away Cody breaks into another small coughing fit. Carey checks him for a fever, sore throat, anything she can think of. She doesn't want her baby to catch the same thing Zack has. But the fit passes soon and they continue down the hall with Carey feeling partially relieved, partially worried.

Half way back they run into Zack's doctor, Dr. Jamison. Dr. Jamison is a sharp man with beady eyes and a square jaw. Cody shudders.

"Why hello, Carey. Hello Cody. I was just on my way to see Zack.

"Oh…hey if you aren't in TOO much of a hurry, would you mind checking Cody out? He was coughing pretty hard earlier." Cody stares at her in horror.

"I'd be glad to." He smiles at Cody and a shiver runs down his spine. The doctor quickly checks him out and diagnoses him.

"He's fine, just a chest cold. Give him about a week and he'll be back to normal." He smiles again and heads off. Carey gives Cody a stern look that says: _"We'll talk about this later,"_ and wraps her arm around him. They return to the others.

* * *

Cody's trapped in a sort of cough-induced haze. He barely notices the others staring at him. Carey buys him a bottle of water. He drinks half of it and then rests his head in her lap. The last thing he remembered before he fell asleep was the sound of Rebecca's pen tapping and the turning page of Maddie's book.

**_Long chapter lol. Review kindly and...quickly lol! _**

**_Fig_**


	23. I Wanna Go Home

_Chapter 23:_

Cody wakes up a couple of hours later in the warm sanctuary of his mother's arms. He sits up and rubs the sleep out of his eyes.

"Hey sleepyhead." Carey says, smiling. Her smile soon fades away though as she speaks again. "We need to talk." Cody's heart sinks, he'd been hoping she'd forgotten. Obviously, she hadn't.

"About what?" He asks, trying to avoid the issue.

"Why didn't you tell me you weren't feeling well?" Cody looks down at his hands.

"I….I didn't think…I didn't think you'd care!" He tumbles over the words. Carey hugs him, and he continues to stare down at his hands. She lifts his chin so that he's looking at her.

"Cody, I care about you more than you'll ever know. I love you and I love Zack. And we're going to get through this," She slowly lets his chin drop again, "together."

Cody sighs guiltily. How could he have thought she wouldn't have cared? He didn't know, but it felt good to hear her say that- that she loved him.

A couple minutes later Dr. Jamison arrives with that creepy smile planted firmly on his face, as if someone had painted it there. Cody shivers.

"Carey, may I talk to you?" Carey gives Cody another quick hug, stands, and walks over. "Zack seems to be doing alright now. We're honestly not certain what went amiss….Has he been sleeping ok?"

"As far as I know." Carey answers him, confused.

"Alright. We're working on getting him to sleep. He really needs it. But you can see him now." Carey nods and he leaves. She turns and extends her hand to Cody. He takes it and they walk, hand in hand, to Zack's room.

Zack lies in the bed while the nurse gathers up some clipboards and papers. He looks as though it's a struggle to keep his eyes open, which are only half-open already.

"He's been drugged." The nurse tells them, half way out the door. Cody gapes at her. "It won't hurt him. It's just to help him sleep." She adds quickly.

And then it's just the three of them.

"Hey Zack…" Carey says, sitting in the chair by the bed and wrapping her arm around Cody's waist.

"Hi Mom…" He mumbles. She takes his hand in her free one. Cody rests his head on hers. There's a silent pause, then…

"Mom…" Zack still mumbles, but his eyes are completely closed.

"What, honey?" She asks. Cody lifts his own sleepy head.

"I wanna go home."

"We all do."

"I wanna go home" Carey continues to rub his hand in comfort as he repeats this phrase until his voice is just a mumbled whisper.

"I wanna go home." And then his breathing grows deep and he falls into an even deeper sleep.

**_Awwww I love that last part. Review please:)_**


	24. I Didn't Kill Him

_Chapter 24:_

That night Cody had another nightmare. One much worse than all others before it. _**(A/N: Dunno if I pointed out that he actually HAD nightmares...but I think it should've been kind of clear, just in case it wasn't. He does. LoL.)**_

_He stands in a dimly lit room. Zack lies in the bed beside him. Cody puts his hand on his brother's. Almost instantly Zack dies. Doctors run in, pushing Cody out of the way. _

_He tugs on one doctor's sleeve. _

_"What's going on?"_

_"You killed him, son." _

_"No I didn't!" Cody protests, utterly confused._

_"The proof's all here…" The doctor then turns away from him._

_"No! No…I didn't! I swear!" He begins to move backwards and out of the room. Into a pure white hall. _

_"ZACK! ZACK!"_

_Suddenly he's in jail, behind bars._

_"Zack! Zack!" He rattles the solid iron bars. "Zack! I didn't kill him! I swear! I didn't!"_

"Zack!" Cody gasps sitting up in bed. "Zack….?" He scrambles out of bed and across the room. He yanks the camouflage comforter to his brother's bed. "Zack…Zack…" He strips the bed even more, as if his brother was hiding under them, and he couldn't find him. "Zack…" He pulls off the last sheet. "Zack…" And then all the memories of that night come flooding back. He falls to the floor and doesn't stop the tears fogging his vision from falling. He lies on the hard floor, softly crying himself to sleep.

**_That last scene (when he wakes up) I just edited last night. Well...I made it sound better lol. Okay I added one word but yeah lol. I edited a couple others too. Can't remember which right now anyways...reviews please:)_**


	25. Watching the Rain

_Chapter 25:_

Zack remains in the hospital all the following week. The doctors give him nasty medication which causes him to become cranky and grouchy. On another bad note, Rebecca's put on a 'pity' act for him.

Meanwhile Cody seemingly relives his childhood…

Cody watches the steady drizzle as it rains down his brother's hospital window. A little girl runs through the parking lot while her mother hurries to catch up with her. She jumps into a puddle and "Splash!" She'd slipped and was sitting in the water, soaking wet. Her mother finally reaches her and helps her up. He watches sadly as they walk to their car.

A vague, yet clear memory appears in his head..

_He's about 6 years old and he and Zack are running down their street. Exactly which street, he couldn't tell. They were hopping in puddles and stomping on their neighbor's flowers. He remembered being reluctant about it and Zack calling him a goody-too-shoes and then running down the slippery sidewalk, with Zack a couple feet ahead of him. _

_"Zack! Zack, wait for me!" He could clearly hear his six year old self calling his brother. He runs faster and falls down into a puddle. Zack whirls around and walks back. His face reads impatience but his eyes are laughing. _

_"Let's go pull up some of Mrs. Hinkle's tulips!" Zack said grinning mischievously and extending his hand. _

_He'd nodded and taken Zack's hand. _

"Cody? What're you doing?" Cody jumped, snapping out of his reminiscence. He rubbed the tears out of his eyes and turned. Zack was sitting up in bed, staring at him, eyebrows raised.

"Nothing." He muttered and dragged his chair over beside the bed.

**_Short? Yes. LoL. The next chapter's a longer though :)_**


	26. Angry Explosion

_Chapter 26:_

Zack was released in the middle of the next week, Wednesday to be exact. He was glad to be home, but the day after he was extremely irritated. The day not only started out badly, yet ended badly as well. He woke up and expected to be able to explore a little. Get out of the suite and do anything but lie around on the couch or in bed all day. Speak of the devil, that's exactly what Carey made him do. He screamed at her that he was fine, but she wouldn't take that. So they had a big argument over that.

So he spent the day sitting on the couch flipping channels while Carey was at rehearsal. And then when Cody came home, he decided to make cookies.

So by the time he was about to explode, Cody was banging his spoon against the metal mixing bowl, giving him a headache.

Then, when he figured nothing could get worse and just as he was about to scream at Cody to knock it off, Rebecca arrived.

She waltzed in, smiling her 'I'm so sorry you're sick' smile.

"Hey Zacky! Feeling better?"

He scowled at her as he replied, "No." She flopped down on the couch beside him.

"Aww. Ok, well when you do you wanna hang out or something?"

"No." His voice was flat and direct.

"Why not?"

"Because…"

"Because why?"

"Rebecca!" He jumps to his feet, shouting. Cody stops stirring, surprised. "Knock it off! I'm sick and tired of everyone acting like I'm dying!" He ignored her puzzled expression. "I'm not dying! I'm fine! It's no big deal! Just leave me alone!"

"Zack, I was just trying to help!" She rises to her feet also.

"You can't help! No one can! You wanna help so much, why don't you leave me alone!"

"I was just trying to help because I care about you! But I guess none of that matters to you anymore!" She stormed out the door and Zack stormed to his room, both slamming doors causing Cody to clutch his mixing bowl with both hands to keep it from falling off the counter.

* * *

Carey arrived back at the suite around 5, bringing pizza for dinner. Cody stood by the counter putting away his fresh baked cookies into a plastic container. She set the pizza on the table and walked over. 

"Hey. I brought pizza!"

"I noticed."

"Maybe we could have your cookies for dessert! They smell great!"

"Thanks.. but that's not why I made them. I made them to put my mind somewhere else." Cody replied and turned to get another container out of the cupboard.

"Where's Zack?" She asked him after realizing he wasn't going to elaborate, looking around. He jerked his head towards their room. She walked over and went into the room.

Zack was lying on his un-made bed, facing the wall, a headache annoying him. Carey walks over to the bed, sits, and lightly taps him on the shoulder.

"Hey, I brought pizza."

"Not hungry."

"You sure? You feel OK?" Worry edged her voice.

"I'm fine, Mom."

"What's going on, honey?" It was hard to deceive their mother.

"Nothing…I'm just not hungry."

"Alright, I'll save you some. In case you change your mind." Zack doesn't answer and she rises and walks from the room, closing the door behind her with a click. Silent, yet steady, tears rain down his cheeks as a feeling of loneliness settles in to his heart.

_**Took a while to update lol...but then again I update like every day so missing a day seems like a long time LOL! **_

_**Review Please:)**_


	27. You Broke Her Heart

_Chapter 27:_

A couple of days passed. Rebecca and Zack absolutely refused to work things out or speak to each other at all. It was evident Rebecca was hurt by his harsh words. It was also evident that they still cared for each other, deeply.

Unfortunately, Rebecca had an ice-skating competition the following Saturday. They'd all been planning on going but, hard as Cody tried, he couldn't get Zack to go.

"Wake up, Zack!" We said we'd meet Raine at ten-thirty!" Cody gently shakes his brother. Zack rolls away from him and mumbles.

"What?"

"I said I'm not going!" Zack practically shouts at his brother with impatience.

"C'mon, Zack! You've been in this room all week! It'll be fun!"

"Wasn't my fault…" Zack mutters.

"Please! Don't you wanna see Raine again?"

"Not really…"

"Rebecca really wants you there!"

"Too bad."

"Fine…I'll just tell her you don't wanna come." He doesn't move, hoping Zack'll change his mind.

"Whatever." Cody gives up then and walks from the room, pausing only at the door to turn and say,

"You know you broke her heart. You really did."

* * *

Carey and Cody drive to the local ice-skating rink, leaving Zack home alone. Carey worries about him being there alone but reassures herself that if there were a problem there were people all around he could turn to, if he needed them.

Raine was supposed to meet them there. Carey'd offered her a ride, but she'd refused, explaining that she had somewhere she had to be. They walked into the arena and searched for her but she couldn't be found. Cody grew worried and Carey rubbed his shoulder and told him she'd be there.

She did arrive, finally, just as it was Rebecca's turn.

"Hey!" She greeted them, taking the available seat beside Cody. "Where's Zack?"

Cody shrugged, "Didn't wanna come."

"Oh..." She sighed and turned her attention to the rink where Rebecca was skating out to begin her routine. She could see Rebecca searching the crowd for Zack.

**_Reviews Please:)_**


	28. One Good Reason

_Chapter 28:_

Rebecca placed third. Not too bad for having a heart so heavy it felt as if it could fall through the floor.

Zack was back in school on Monday. Everyone seemed pretty happy about that, except him.

Their final days as seventh graders were drawing near, which meant the annual seventh and eighth grade "End of Year Dance" was drawing near as well.

Cody was putting his books away when Raine ran up to him. It was Tuesday, four days before the dance.

"Hey, Cody!"

"Hi…" He said a little dully as he grabbed his Science book out of his locker and closed the door with a slight bang.

"Are you going to the dance on Friday?" She blurted out, hardly stopping to think.

"No." He watched as her face fell.

"But…but I thought we were all gunna go together!"

"Zack's not going." She stared at him. What did Zack have to do with anything?

"So?"

"So I'm not going." Raine couldn't believe this. She placed her hands on her hips.

"Just because Zack's not going doesn't mean you can't."

There was a silent pause, both just staring at each other then,

"Why should I go? Give me one good reason." He folded his arms across his chest, clearly challenging her.

She thought about her answer for a moment.

"I want you their. With me. And I don't care if Zack's not there." He dropped his arms from there position and almost dropped his book as well. Raine blushed and quickly turned away. He struggled to find his voice which was somewhat buried now. He cleared his throat,

"Ok…" He said as she turned again to face him. "I'll go." Raine couldn't help but let out a small squeal of delight. She smiled and ran off in the direction she'd come. Cody stood staring after her, a bit shocked.

"Cody…Cody!...CODY!" Cody snapped out of his trance and realized Zack was standing in front of him, waving his hand like crazy in front of his face.

"What!" He asked, moving Zack's hand away.

"What were you staring at?" Zack asks curiously, giving Cody a strange look.

Cody grabs Zack's shoulders firmly and shakes him. "You **HAVE **to come to the dance!" Zack shrugs his brother's hands away.

"Why?" He didn't particularly want to talk about the dance, he'd just found out Rebecca was going with someone else.

"Raine just asked me to go with her!" Cody honestly expected his brother to be pleased and was disappointed when his brother simply stared at him.

"And?"

"And…I need you there! For back-up, ya know?"

"I told you I'm not going." Zack said forcefully with a light shake of his head.

"Please! I'd do it for you!" Cody pleads.

Zack looked down at the floor and then back up at Cody, thinking things through.

"Alright! I'll go!" He finally said. Cody let out a long sigh of relief. Zack still frowned however,

"I just wish…" He sighed, "I wish Rebecca was going with** me** instead of Josh Michaels. He looked away sadly.

"She's going with Josh?" Cody asked him softly. Zack nodded.

"She's probably just trying to make you jealous." He tried to reassure his brother.

"Doubt it…" Zack mumbled.

"You'll think of something…I know you will." Cody said and walked away to Science.

Zack shrugs and watches his brother leave, thinking intently about what to do with no ideas coming. But, as he's walking down the hall later, the perfect idea hits him. Now all he had to do was pull it off.

**_Kind of short. Would've updated yesterday but it wouldn't let me upload the chapter for some perverse reason. 2 more chapters left! Then sequel time...which reminds me I need to start typing that..._**

**_Review please:)_**

**_Fig_**


	29. Sympathetic Dancing

_Chapter 29:_

The four days between Tuesday and Friday seemed to pass as fast as light. Before either of them knew it, it was Friday and they were standing in the Martins' suite getting ready to go to the dance. All, that is, except Rebecca.

Zack was fidgeting, like he was nervous, which suited since he was. He wasn't sure if his plan would work or not. He didn't know if he would succeed or completely humiliate himself in front of the entire 7th and 8th grade.

Cody was chattering, blurting out whatever came to mind. Any idiot could tell he was beyond nervousness.

"Cody, slow down." Carey whispered in his ear. He blushed and began looking around the room as if the walls were suddenly the most interesting there.

Raine tugged on a curl that gently framed her face. They were all nervous.

"You guys ready?" Carey asked as she rushed to find her keys. They looked at each other and then at her blankly. Raine nodded after a minute or two.

"Yeah…"

Carey, finally having found her keys, turned to three nervous faces. She smiled softly and they headed towards the door. Cody grasped Raine's hand in his. She smiled at him. He loved her smile.

Zack watched the two of them together and couldn't help but feel jealous and wonder if he was doing the right thing. He didn't realize his head was hanging until Carey reached out and patted his shoulder in sympathy. He shrugged her off. He didn't need nor want her sympathy right then.

* * *

Zack's heart sank as they walked into the gym. Rebecca was there, but she was with Josh. She was **dancing** with Josh. He shoved his hands into his pockets and walked away, wishing desperately to be anywhere but there.

Raine and Cody looked at each other. They both felt bad for him. After all he'd gone through in the last three months, and now this?

"I feel bad." Raine said finally.

Cody nodded, "Me too. Think I should go talk to him?"

Raine shook her head.

"No…let me talk to him, OK?" Cody shrugged and Raine went off to find Zack.

She found him sitting in a chair by the refreshment table, alone. She sat in the chair next to him. He looked up at her.

"What?"

"Zack…"

"What!" She was frustrating him.

"You're not just going to sit here all night, are you?"

"Yeah…why?"

"C'mon, Zack! It's not going to kill you to have a little bit of fun, for one night."

"You wouldn't understand, Raine."

"Try me."

He shook his head. "You wouldn't, Raine, and it's pointless for you to try!"

"You know that's not true." She said softly.

"Maybe…but how could you understand? You've never been in this kind of situation!"

"Yes I have."

"Oh yeah, when?"

Her face suddenly looked sad and she turned away, "I can't tell you." Both were silent for a while then,

"If you won't do it for me, then do it for Cody. Do it for your brother." Zack stared at her for a couple minutes, just letting her words sink in.

"C'mon!" She said standing up and extending her hand, "Dance with me."

"What about Cody?" Zack asked, looking from her hand to her face.

She shrugged and smiled, "He can spare one dance." Zack smiled back and took her hand silently as they walked onto the dance floor.

* * *

Zack began to actually get into the whole idea of 'having fun,' which makes Raine and Cody enjoy themselves as well.

Raine and Zack are talking over punch when Cody comes bolting through the gym doors and over to them.

"Whoa! What's up with you?" Zack asks him, startled.

"You're never going to believe what I just saw." Cody tells them.

"What!" They asked simultaneously.

Cody turned to Zack sadly, "Rebecca…and Josh were….making out. Near the lockers. By the boys' bathroom. I'm sorry, Zack. I…" Zack's plastic cup fell from his hands. Cody jumped out of the way and Raine grabbed napkins off the table next to them.

"That's it.." Zack said through gritted teeth and stomped away.

"What's he doing?" Raine asked as she helped Cody clean up the punch. He shook his head,

"I have no idea. Man, this is one of those times when our twin telepathy would really come in handy."

Raine nudged him, "Look." She pointed to Rebecca and Josh standing near the doors. Cody didn't have a chance to look up before the DJ came over the speakers.

"This one goes out to Rebecca with love from Zack. 'You're my inspiration.'"

Both heads shot up. They looked at each other and then at Zack standing on the steps leading to the stage.

He stepped down off the steps nervously and walked over to Rebecca. Josh stood next to her, a fierce glare glazing his eyes. Zack ignored him and extended his hand to Rebecca.

"I'm sorry, Rebecca. I hope you can forgive me." He said softly. Rebecca tried to force words and was left completely speechless. He watched her expectantly waiting, as was the rest of the gym, for her answer.

She finally shook her head up and down and spoke.

"Yes, Zack. I forgive you." His face broke into a huge grin, about a mile wide. The entire gymnasium awed as Rebecca took his hand with a smile and allowed herself to be led into the center of the gym. Zack wrapped his arms around her gently as they began to dance.

**_Wow...I'm assuming that was long, it looks long...but I could be wrong. OMG! That rhymed! LoL! Hope you enjoyed it. The last chapters coming up next (WOOT WOOT!) and I'd like to take this opportunity to ask for what you guys want out of the sequel. I know what's gunna happen, but I'd like to see what the READERS want also. So you can either PM me the ideas or put them in a review!_**

**_Reviews please:)_**

**_Fig_**


	30. I'm Fine, Cody

**_Alright here we go...last chapter (Yay!)! This chapter might get a bit confusing, I'm hoping it doesn't but incase you have trouble here's some "guidlines"_**

**_Anything in _**normal **_print is the regular points of view, nothing out of the ordinary._**

_**Anything in** italics **is following Zack. **_

**_I'm pretty sure everyone knows who the Voice is by now...if not well, read carefully._**

**_That shouuld be it. Anyways hope you all enjoyed it and the sequel should be up ASAP! If anybody has anymore suggestions for the sequel feel free to let me know (I only have two chapters done so yeah lol)._**

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****

_Chapter 30:_

"You know what this means?" Raine asked as they rode a cab back to the Tipton later that night. Cody shrugged,

"Zack and Rebecca are back together?" He suggested and then mumbled low, "Big surprise…"

Raine shook her head, "No…OW! Zack!" She exclaimed as Zack kicked her in the shin. Zack smiled innocently,

"Sorry…I was aiming for Cody." Cody glared at him and turned towards the window.

Raine smiled, glad to see them acting normal, as she said, "No. We're officially 8th graders!"

"Which means…" Cody said turning back towards the others with a grin.

"We're on top of the school!" Rebecca finished for him.

"Yes! Finally!" Zack cheered. They laughed and were, for the moment, content.

* * *

The suite was dark when they arrived a few moments later. Carey'd gone out so the four were alone in the suite.

"So…what do you guys wanna do?" Cody asked, tossing his jacket onto a chair carelessly.

Rebecca shrugged, "I dunno. We have all summer to do whatever."

"Not all of us," Cody said with a smirk, "Zack starts summer school on Monday."

"Thanks for reminding me…" Zack groaned, glaring at Cody lightly.

Raine walked to the Martins' video collection beneath their TV,

"How 'bout we watch a movie?" She suggested, leafing through the videos.

"Whatever…" Zack replied flopping onto the couch next to Rebecca.

Raine, having finally selected a movie, turned to the others and frowned. An instant idea struck her and she walked up to the chair where Cody sat, smiling sweetly. Cody looked up at her.

"Can you put this in?" She asked extending the tape to him, "I don't know how to work you're VCR." Cody glanced at Rebecca and Zack on the couch. Rebecca was trying to stifle her laughter, already on to what Raine was up to, and Zack just sat with a look that clearly stated that he was tired of talking and didn't care who put the tape in the VCR as long as it got done. Cody looked up at Raine again and groaned.

"Fine…" He grumbled as he stood up and walked over to the VCR. As soon as he left the chair, Raine sat down in it and Rebecca burst out laughing. Cody turned around to see what was so funny and was surprised to see Raine sitting in his chair smiling innocently. He frowned and pressed PLAY. He walked over and sat down by the leg of the chair, upset that she'd been able to trick him that easily and that he had to sit on the floor. But he knew he'd get over it, eventually.

* * *

Zack fell asleep within the first fifteen minutes of the movie, his head in Rebecca's lap. Rebecca gently stroked his head as she watched the movie and he dreamt peacefully, the first time in a long time._

* * *

Zack walked down a narrow path. He was surrounded by old and withered trees. Whatever place he was in was terribly dreary and dull and the thought came to him that he would definitely not want to live there._

_A couple of ominous figures walked ahead of him and it occurred to him that he didn't know where he was going. It also occurred to him that he didn't seem to care. And that's when he saw it._

_The brick tunnel he'd visited so many times. But this time he didn't try to run, he kept walking. _

_He walked to the very center of the tunnel and stopped. He wasn't sure if he should keep going or turn and run away again. And that was when the Voice appeared yet again._

_It stood at the end of the tunnel gently calling his name, warmly welcoming him. He wanted to be welcomed and so he walked on, not stopping to think about Cody or Rebecca or his mother or anyone else that had ever cared about him._

_As he neared the Voice he observed that It was a figure of a man surrounded by warm, inviting light. _

_He walked ever closer and stopped at the doorway to that bright place. He couldn't see the Voice's face but he assumed He was smiling. _

_"Are you ready?" The Voice asked him and this time as the Voice laid It's hand on his shoulder he didn't scream. He nodded._

_It wasn't until he had one foot in that bright luminous light that he stopped to think about what exactly he was doing._

* * *

Just as Zack was doing this, Rebecca happened to pass her hand across his lips and noticed that she couldn't feel Zack's breath on her hand.

"Zack…?" She whispered softly, trying desperately to feel his breath on her hand.

"ZACK!" She spoke outright now, in a panic. "Zack?" She gently began patting his face in a desperate attempt to wake him.

Cody and Raine looked over at them. Cody saw her panicked expression and the smile lingering on his face completely vanished. He jumped up and sat down on the couch next to his brother and without waiting for Rebecca's explanation began to call Zack's name and shake his body, honestly expecting the worst.

_

* * *

What was he doing? He was deserting the only love he'd ever known. He was leaving Cody, his twin, alone in a world he knew nothing about. What would he do when he realized he was gone for good?_

_Zack bit down hard on his lip, now frightened. _

_What would Rebecca do? And Raine? And Mom? How would she deal with Cody by herself? _

_There were so many questions zooming through his mind. And it struck him suddenly that he couldn't do this. He just couldn't. He jerked his foot out of that beautiful place and shook his head rapidly._

_"I can't do it…I…I just can't." The Voice seemed to nod and Zack stepped away from the doorway and opened his eyes to find his friends and brother hovering over him._

* * *

"Oh my gosh, Zack! Don't scare me like that!" He heard Rebecca say as she hugged him. But he wasn't concerned about her, he was staring straight into his twin's identical blue eyes. He inhaled a deep shaky breath to get his breathing back to normal. Cody sighed and sat back, unlocking his eyes from his brother's. He felt very much past relieved and yet he still worried for Zack. He was unsure that he was really ok, even though Zack kept insisting he was fine. Cody needed to be sure; sure that Zack was really fine.

"Are you sure?" He asked his brother, locking eyes with him once again.

Zack saw the clear uncertainty in Cody's eyes and nodded, "I'm fine." He said and they turned their attention back to the movie.

**_The End_**

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**_Sequel coming:) _**


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